Tami Neilson
Tami Neilson, June 2015
Tami Neilson, June 2015
Background information
Born1977 (age 46–47)[1]
Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Occupation(s)Musician, songwriter, composer
Instrument(s)Vocals, guitar, harmonica
Years active2008–present
Websitetamineilson.com

Tamara "Tami" Neilson is a Canadian-born New Zealand country & soul singer/songwriter. She is the winner of multiple awards, including the 2014 APRA Silver Scroll Awards and Best Country Song Award;[2] she is also the winner of the Best Country Album at the New Zealand Music Awards in 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2015,[3] and Best Female Artist at the New Zealand Country Music Awards in 2010, 2011 & 2014.

Biography

She grew up as a member of The Neilsons, performing with her parents and two brothers across North America, and continues to co-write much of her work with brother Joshua "Jay" Neilson, who shared her Silver Scroll win as well as producing her first three albums: Red Dirt Angel (2008), The Kitchen Table Sessions, Vol. 1 (2009) and The Kitchen Table Sessions, Vol. II (2011). They also worked together on scoring the New Zealand TV series The Brokenwood Mysteries for its second season in 2015, having previously contributed many songs to the first season's soundtrack.[4]

Her album Don't Be Afraid (2015) debuted at No. 3 on the New Zealand Music Charts, and her previous release Dynamite! (2014) was listed in The Guardian as one of the top ten country albums of the year for 2014.[5] In 2020, her song "Hey, Bus Driver", from the album Chickaboom, won APRA's Best Country Song Award.[6] In 2017, Neilson also appeared as a subject of the documentary Prime Rocks: The New Sound of Country in New Zealand, alongside Marlon Williams, Delaney Davidson, and Barry Saunders from The Warratahs.[7] In November 2020, she appeared on David Hartnell MNZM's Best Dressed List.[8]

Neilson's 2022 album, Kingmaker included the single "Beyond the Stars", a duet with country music legend Willie Nelson, which was released to considerable acclaim after being debuted on stage in a live performance with him, at his Luck Reunion concert in March that year.[9] The album went on to debut at #1 on the New Zealand charts in July, which was followed by a sold-out concert with the Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra at the Aotea Centre,[10] and a national tour with Chamber Music New Zealand, during which she performed "Beyond The Stars" with Bret McKenzie in Wellington. She also performed at Mariposa Folk Festival in Canada and Tønder Festival in Denmark that year. "Beyond The Stars" was nominated for the APRA Awards (New Zealand) Silver Scroll Award on 1 September 2022.[11]

Neilson's songs have also appeared on Wanted, Nashville, and The Sounds.[12] In 2022, Neilson herself appeared on The Brokenwood Mysteries performing "Ten Tonne Truck" on the episode "Good as Gold".

Personal life

Born in Toronto, Canada,[13] Neilson relocated to Auckland, New Zealand in 2007[14] where she now resides. She is married to Grant Tetzlaff, a New Zealand Police inspector she first met in 2001. They have two children.[1]

Neilson has Ojibwe ancestry.[15]

Discography

Studio albums

List of albums, with selected details
Title Details Peak chart positions
NZ
[16]
Red Dirt Angel
  • Released: 12 May 2008
  • Format: CD, digital download
  • Label: Neilson Records, Southbound, Ode Records
 —
The Kitchen Table Sessions, Vol. 1
(with Jay Neilson)
  • Released: 1 June 2009
  • Format: CD, digital download
  • Label: Neilson, Southbound
 —
The Kitchen Table Sessions, Vol. II
(with Lauren Thomson)
  • Released: 1 January 2011
  • Format: CD, digital download
  • Label: Neilson, Southbound
 —
Dynamite!
  • Released: 21 March 2014
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
  • Label: Neilson, Southbound
 10
Don't Be Afraid
  • Released: 25 September 2015
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
  • Label: Neilson, Southbound, Monkey Music, Outside Studios
 3
Sassafrass!
  • Released: 1 June 2018
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
  • Label: Neilson, Southbound, Outside
 6
Chickaboom!
  • Released: 14 February 2020
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
  • Label: Neilson, Southbound, Outside
 8
Kingmaker
  • Released: 15 July 2022
  • Format: CD, LP, digital download
  • Label: Neilson, Southbound, Outside
 1
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

Collaborative albums

List of albums, with selected details
Title Details
Chanteuses & Shotguns
(Lauren Thomson featuring Tami Neilson)
  • Released: 24 January 2011
  • Format: CD, digital download
  • Label: Ode Records

Live albums

List of albums, with selected details
Title Details
Songs of Sinners Live
  • Released: 23 November 2017
  • Format: CD, digital download
  • Label: Neilson Records, Southbound

Singles

As lead artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NZ
Artist
[17] 		NZ
Artist
Hot
[18]
"Walk (Back to Your Arms)"[19] 2014 5 — Dynamite!
"Dynamite"[20] 2015 — —
"Lonely"[21]
(featuring Marlon Williams) 		— — Don’t Be Afraid
"Holy Moses"[22] 2016 — —
"Loco Mama"[23] — —
"Reap What You Sow"[24] 2017 — — Songs of Sinners Live
"Stay Outta My Business"[25] 2018 — — Sassafrass!
"Manitoba Sunrise at Motel 6"[26] — —
"Devil in a Dress"[27] — —
"Big Boss Mama"[28] 2019 — 19 Non-album single
"Hey Bus Driver!"[29]
(featuring Jay Neilson) 		— — Chickaboom!
"Any Fool with a Heart"[30]
(featuring Jay Neilson) 		— —
"Ten Tonne Truck"[31] — —
"You Were Mine"[32] 2020 — —
"Queenie, Queenie"[33] — —
"Pretty Paper"[34] — — Non-album singles
"River"[35] 2021 — —
"Beyond the Stars"[36]
(featuring Willie Nelson) 		2022 — 10 Kingmaker
"Baby You're a Gun"[37] — —
"Careless Woman"[38] — —
"Kingmaker"[39] — —
"—" denotes a recording that did not chart.

As featured artist

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NZ
Artist
Hot
[18]
"Trouble Finds a Girl"[40]
(Jenny Mitchell featuring Tami Neilson) 		2021 20 Tug of War

Promotional singles

Title Year Album
"Crazy"[41][42] 2018 Brokenwood Mysteries (Music from the Original TV Series), Vol. 3

Other charted songs

Title Year Peak chart positions Album
NZ
Artist
Hot
[18]
"Roimata / Cry Myself to Sleep"[43] 2019 19 Waiata / Anthems
"Mama's Talkin'" 2022 14 Kingmaker

APRA Awards (New Zealand)

The APRA Awards (New Zealand) are presented annually by Australasian Performing Right Association to recognise songwriting skills, sales and airplay performance by its members. The APRA Silver Scroll Award is awarded purely on the basis of songwriting.

Year Award For Result
2014 APRA Silver Scroll Awards Silver Scroll Tami Neilson / Joshua Neilson, "Walk (Back To Your Arms)" Won
2016 APRA Silver Scroll Awards Silver Scroll Tami Neilson / Joshua Neilson, "The First Man" Nominated
2022 APRA Silver Scroll Awards Silver Scroll Tami Neilson / Delaney Davidson, "Beyond the Stars" Nominated

New Zealand/Aotearoa Music Awards

The New Zealand Music Awards are presented annually by Recorded Music NZ recognising outstanding artistic and technical achievements in the recording field. Tami has been nominated multiple times for a number of awards, and won many of them.[44]

Year Award For Result
2009 New Zealand Music Awards Best Country Music Album Red Dirt Angel Won
2010 New Zealand Music Awards Best Country Music Album The Kitchen Table Sessions Won
2012 New Zealand Music Awards Best Country Music Album The Kitchen Table Sessions Vol II Won
2014 New Zealand Music Awards Best Country Music Song Tami Neilson / Delaney Davidson, "Whiskey & Kisses" Won
2015 New Zealand Music Awards Best Country Music Album Dynamite! Won
Best Country Music Song Tami Neilson, "You Lie" Nominated
2016 New Zealand Music Awards Album of the Year Don't Be Afraid Nominated
Best Female Solo Artist Tami Neilson Nominated
2018 New Zealand Music Awards Album of the Year Sassafrass! Nominated
Best Solo Artist Tami Neilson Nominated
Best Album Cover Tami Neilson, Ashley Church, Xoe Hall, Jules Koblun Nominated
2019 New Zealand Music Awards Best Country Music Album Sassafrass! Nominated
Best Country Music Song Tami Neilson / Joshua Neilson, "Manitoba Sunrise at Motel 6" Nominated
2020 Aotearoa Music Awards Album of the Year Chickaboom! Nominated
Best Country Music Song Tami Neilson / Joshua Neilson, "Hey Bus Driver" Won
Best Country Music Song Tami Neilson / Joshua Neilson, "Any Fool with a Heart" Nominated
2021 Aotearoa Music Awards Best Country Music Album Chickaboom! Won
Best Country Music Song Tami Neilson, "Queenie, Queenie" Won

Taite Music Prize

The Taite Music Prize is an annual New Zealand music award for the best album from New Zealand. Tami Neilson has been nominated three times.[45]

Year For Result
2015 Taite Music Prize Dynamite! Nominated
2019 Taite Music Prize Sassafrass! Nominated
2021 Taite Music Prize Chickaboom! Nominated

References

  1. ^ a b Tami Neilson putting the sass into country music, Australian Women's Weekly, 1 February 2017
  2. ^ "Tami Neilson wins Silver Scroll". New Zealand Herald. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  3. ^ "Tami Neilson quit big-time for Kiwi country crown". Fairfax Media New Zealand. 3 July 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  4. ^ "Country music takes over on The Brokenwood Mysteries". Fairfax Media New Zealand. 16 October 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  5. ^ Smith, Grady (18 December 2014). "The 10 best country music records of 2014". The Guardian. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  6. ^ "Tami Neilson Wins APRA's Best Country Song 2020". 13th Floor. Retrieved 3 May 2021.
  7. ^ "TV Review: The New Sound of Country". Fairfax Media New Zealand. December 2016. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  8. ^ "The best dressed Kiwis list is out, who makes the cut?". Stuff.co.nz. 22 November 2020. Retrieved 22 November 2020.
  9. ^ "Tami Neilson's stage duet with Willie Nelson at Texas Luck Reunion music event". NZ Herald. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  10. ^ "Tami Neilson (feat. The Auckland Philharmonia Orchestra) Review". Ambient Light. 31 July 2022. Retrieved 1 September 2022.
  11. ^ Cudby, Chris (1 September 2022). "Top 5 Finalists Revealed for 2022 APRA Silver Scroll Award". Under The Radar.
  12. ^ "Tami Neilson on IMDB". IMDb.
  13. ^ Rosa Shiels (2 June 2020). "Tami Neilson Profile". AudioCulture.
  14. ^ "How Tami Neilson ended up in New Zealand". Fairfax Media New Zealand. 14 July 2015. Retrieved 9 February 2017.
  15. ^ Cudby, Chris (18 September 2019). "Interview: Tami Neilson Talks Family, Touring & Her New Album 'CHICKABOOM!'". Under the Radar. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  16. ^ "charts.nz – Discography Tami Neilson". charts.nz. Retrieved 9 January 2023.
  17. ^ "Official Top 20 NZ Singles Chart". Recorded Music NZ. 10 November 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  18. ^ a b c Peak positions for Tami Neilson's singles on the NZ Artist Hot singles chart:
  19. ^ "Listen: Tami Neilson - Walk (Back To Your Arms)". Under the Radar. 4 March 2014. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  20. ^ "Tami Neilson - Dynamite". Under the Radar. 17 February 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  21. ^ "Tami Neilson - Lonely (Feat. Marlon Williams)". Under the Radar. 4 September 2015. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  22. ^ "Tami Neilson Rocks out in her Stylish Throwback Video for "Holy Moses"". Elmore Magazine. 9 September 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  23. ^ "Video: Tami Neilson - Loco Mama". Under the Radar. 22 November 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  24. ^ "Tami Neilson Unveils Live Single 'Reap What You Sow". New Zealand Music Commission. 27 November 2017. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  25. ^ Chetwin-Kelly, Bridie (23 March 2018). "Tami Neilson on her new album and being a mother on the road". The Spinoff. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  26. ^ "Tami Neilson Shares Dreamy Single 'Manitoba Sunrise At Motel 6' + Video". Under the Radar. 22 May 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  27. ^ "Tami Neilson Releases Video for 'Devil in a Dress'". New Zealand Music Commission. 4 July 2018. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  28. ^ "Tami Neilson Drops Single 'Big Boss Mama' + Video". Under the Radar. 8 March 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  29. ^ "Tami Neilson Shares New Single 'Hey Bus Driver!' Featuring Brother Jay Neilson, Ahead of Nationwide New Zealand Tour". New Zealand Music Commission. 6 September 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  30. ^ "Tami Neilson Unleashed "Any Fool with a Heart" Video". Killbeat Music. 17 October 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  31. ^ "Tami Neilson, Releases Third Single Ten Tonne Truck Off Her Forthcoming Album CHICKABOOM!". New Zealand Music Commission. 14 November 2019. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  32. ^ C.C. (17 January 2020). "Listen To Tami Neilson's Single 'You Were Mine'". Under the Radar. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  33. ^ "Tami Neilson Examines Parenthood and Feminism via "Queenie, Queenie" (Premiere + Interview)". Pop Matters. 12 February 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  34. ^ "Tami Neilson Shares Cover of Willie Nelson's "Pretty Paper"". Killbeat Music. 13 November 2020. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  35. ^ "Tami Neilson releases Joni Mitchell's 'River'". muzic.net.nz. 9 November 2021. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  36. ^ "Tami Neilson & Willie Nelson unite for new single". Rhythms Magazine. 13 April 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  37. ^ "Baby You're a Gun Tami Neilson". Craccum. 23 May 2022. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  38. ^ Cheong, Samantha (20 June 2022). "Watch Tami Neilson's Video For 'Careless Woman'". Under the Radar. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  39. ^ Frolish, Andrew (11 August 2022). "Video: Tami Neilson "Kingmaker"". Americana UK. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  40. ^ Cudby, Chris (8 March 2022). "Watch Jenny Mitchell's Video For 'Trouble Finds a Girl' ft. Tami Neilson". Under the Radar. Retrieved 11 January 2023.
  41. ^ "Crazy - Single". iTunes. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  42. ^ "MUSIC STAR GOES 'CRAZY' FOR THE BROKENWOOD MYSTERIES". The Brokenwood Mysteries. 4 November 2018. Retrieved 17 January 2023.
  43. ^ "Waiata / Anthems". iTunes. 6 September 2019. Retrieved 8 September 2019.
  44. ^ "Aotearoa Music Awards History". Aotearoa Music Awards. Retrieved 4 May 2021.
  45. ^ "Taite Music Prize Archives". Independent Music NZ. Retrieved 5 May 2021.

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